Mumbai: SIT Registers 3 Preliminary Enquiries In ₹12,000 Crore BMC Scam

Mumbai: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the state government to probe the alleged ₹12,024 crore scam in the BMC has filed three Preliminary Enquiries (PE) in the matter. Preliminary enquiry means a fact finding enquiry in the nature of an investigation into any complaint or report, before initiating a regular enquiry.

The SIT was formed following the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). It is headed by City Commissioner of Police Vivek Phansalkar with Joint Commissioner of Police Economic Offence Wing (EOW), DCP and an ACP as its members.

According to the CAG report, irregularities worth ₹12,024 crore were reported in the BMC between November 2019 and October 2022.

The 3 Preliminary enquiries

The first PE is regarding an alleged ₹206 crore scam in the Dahisar Eksar land acquisition. The second PE is related to alleged corruption of ₹200 crore in the information technology, road and traffic departments while the third PE is regarding more than 60 works worth ₹5,000 crore in the roads department and five related departments of the civic body.

A police official said, “We will first study the CAG report and then seek relevant tender documents and other records from the BMC. Based on the findings of the investigation, a decision will be taken on filing of a criminal case.”

People linked to the scan to be called for questioning

The PEs have been filed to investigate the matter. Now people related to it will be called for questioning, added the official.

In March this year, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis presented the CAG report in the Assembly, which mentioned several irregularities. Apart from the irregularities during the Covid-19 pandemic, 20 works of two different departments were allotted without inviting tenders, the report said.